Countercurrent extractors are used in the fruit processing industry for extraction of juices from solid fruit matter. The extractor includes a screw conveyor, which advances fruit solids in a first direction while extraction fluid flows in the opposite direction, extracting juice from the solids by osmosis. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,861, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Certain fruits, particularly cranberries, contain a class of compounds known as proanthocyanidins (PACs; also called procyanidins, oligomeric proanthocyanidins, pycnogenols, leukocyanidins, leucoanthocyanins, and condensed tannins), which impart unique health benefits. PACs have antioxidant activity and play a role in the stabilization of collagen and maintenance of elastin—two critical proteins in connective tissue that support organs, joints, blood vessels, and muscle. Common antioxidants currently used are vitamin C and vitamin E; however, studies show that PACs' antioxidant capabilities are twenty times more powerful than vitamin C and fifty times more potent than vitamin E (Shi, J. et al., J Med Food 6:291-9, 2003). PACs strengthen blood vessels and improve the delivery of oxygen to cells by suppressing the production of endothelin-1 protein, which constricts blood vessels (Corder, R. et al., Nature 444:566, 2006). PACs also have an affinity for cell membranes, providing nutritional support to reduce capillary permeability and fragility.
The selective capture and dry weight concentration of PAC compounds may thus open up novel opportunities in the field of product application (e.g., retail beverages, lozenges) relative to delivering those unique benefits.